As we prepared for our half-term break in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, the best the internet weather sites had to offer was one day of sunny spells.

So we packed our waterproofs and threw in the fleeces, jumpers and anoraks.

But when we arrived at our holiday cottage in Penally, just outside Tenby, the sun was blazing down... and did for the next seven days.

Luckily, we had also squirreled away our swimsuits and shorts.

First stop were the beaches, as Pembrokeshire boasts some of the most beautiful unspoilt sandy expanses in the UK.

Our favourite was Broad Haven, which opens out after a short walk through the stunning Bosherston Lakes south of Pembroke.

The lakes are worth a visit in themselves - three flooded limestone valleys with a wonderful carpeting of water lilies and teeming with wildlife.

But my four-year-old daughter Hannah was keen to try out her new fishing net so we made straight for the beach. It has a wonderful safe shallow inlet where kids can swim and splash to their hearts' content without going into the sea. Next stop was popular Saundersfoot and nearby Coppet Hall, where we managed to bag a couple of crabs in the rock pools.

A short boat trip from Tenby takes you to the beautiful and fascinating Caldey Island (www.caldey-island.co.uk). This peaceful place has been home to orders of monks for a millennium.

The island's sandy beach at Priory Bay never gets too crowded and is a most relaxing and tranquil spot.

The two other beaches we particularly enjoyed were Manorbier, a very popular spot with surfers which is overlooked by a stunning medieval castle, and Tenby North. The sea was so calm and inviting at Tenby that it tempted my wife Clare into swimming in the ocean for the first time in 20 years.

"How was it?" I asked. "Brrrrrrracing," she said. Hannah was a bit worried when she turned that funny blue colour...

Tenby is a great, oldfashioned seaside resort full of ice-cream parlours. Our favourite spot was the friendly Caffe Vista, on Crackwell Street, with breathtaking views of the North Beach.

Top of my daughter's list was the Dinosaur Park at Tenby (www.thedinosaurpark.co.uk) where you can follow a trail that takes you back 200million years and brings you face-to-face with huge models of T-Rex, iguanadon and other Jurassic age beasts.

On the final day of our trip, we went to Pembroke Castle (www.pembrokecastle.co.uk) - and what a stunning place to round off our holiday.

We agreed to return soon, this time ignoring the weather forecast.

GET THERE

Prices for Penn Lea, Penally, Tenby are from £310 a week low season up to £615 per week high season. Info: call FBM Holidays on 01834 844565 or visit www.fbmholidays.co.uk.